Everyone loves a good movie. They can make you laugh, sometimes they make you cry, you might get a thrill or maybe your head will hurt because of a crazy plot twist. The point is, not all movies are created equal, with some movies being masterpieces that win awards and others that can be summed up as a waste of time and money. But what makes award winning and audience pleasing movies?

There are many ways to make a great movie. One aspect that every good movie needs is a good plot. A good plot is unpredictable, there should be twists and turns that make you want to keep on watching.

“If I’m watching, ten minutes in I shouldn’t be able to know what’s going to happen,” said Raymond Reid, an Ironwood Ridge High School (IRHS) English Teacher.

Another aspect of a good plot is complexity. The plot should not be straight forward and to the point there should be some questions that need to get answered. With that being said the plot should not be so complex that you forget what’s happening.

“The plot shouldn’t be so complex to where you lose viewers as your trying to recreate the complex nature don’t make it so complex that even years later you still don’t know what’s going on,” said Reid.

Another thing that makes a movie more enjoyable are the characters. Characters are the human element in the movie (even when they’re not humans). Characters should have diverse personalities they should be funny and have a good whit but also have a serious side that gets brought out later in the movie.

“A good character must have light and dark qualities for example the Joker who had moral code that he didn’t cross but he also did what he had to do to get his point across,” Reid remarked.

Also, a character does not have to be good all the time, there are antiheroes like Deadpool and Venom who are good but they will do bad things for their cause. Also a good character has a sense of humor.

“No one likes a stale character every good character should have a sense of humor that can give relief to a serious topic,” said Colin Wilson, a student at IRHS.

Something else a good movie needs is a good cast. The cast of the movie is important because big name actors can make a movie really popular since some people will view a film merely because their favorite actor or actress is in it. Additionally, some actors fit roles perfectly and they bring the best out of the character.

“The best example of an actor fitting their role perfectly is Heath Ledger and Joker. Heath played the joker to a T and won a Oscar for Best Supporting Actor,” said Mr. Reid.

The final and, arguably, most important part of a great movie is a good director. Even though directors aren’t in the actual movie they are the most important piece because they practically create the movie themselves. Many movies have begun with one director, changed directors midway through production and have suffered for it. Directors are the crewmembers who make the movie truly good, they guide the visuals, they direct the actors, and they are involved in every part of the movie. Directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg are movie legends because of the work they have done directing. 

Just like a cake there are many ingredients to make a movie, but  the parts listed above are the best for making a truly great movie.